Inferiority
by Nightosphere Princess
Summary: AU. Bubblegum is a humanoid animal who one day gets hassled by a bunch of teenage vampires in the Vampire Kingdom. She wakes up in the pound and is adopted by Lady Kelia. Bubblegum's deepest desire is to be a person, and Queen Marceline and Kelia try to teach her how to be one. But that nagging feeling of inferiority constantly plagues her. Bubbline later on.
1. part 1 of 5

Her name was Bubblegum, she hadn't the faintest idea of where or how or even when she got the name, but she was Bubblegum. Just Bubblegum, nothing else. She had no kingdom, city, or village to call home and she was of no distinguishable race or species, so she had no proper title. Bubblegum had no family, but she held on to a little necklace with a blue gem as big as her eye like a family heirloom. In truth she had found it in a cave that she had slept in one night. The purple cloth she wore around her torso were once curtains in a now abandoned home. The dirty threadbare cloth was in no way glamorous, but it was better than nothing. Her skin and unevenly cropped hair were as dirty as her cloth

She might have a chance at being attractive if she was tamed. More important then her looks however was her mind. No one knew it, not even her, but Bubblegum was a genius. She could be capable of solving problems even the smartest of scientists couldn't figure out, if she was given the knowledge. At the moment she could only do simple addition and subtraction. Counting and numbers were concepts she had learned through over hearing people talk. Which is how she learned to speak without it sounding like gibberish. She would have loved to learn more, but food was more important than knowledge. The poor girl did not have a home or anyone to love her, she was a wild animal, but she loved to pretend to be a person. She made sure to wear her cloth and necklace like lady people whenever she was near a lake, so she could see her almost person-like reflection.

One night Bubblegum had found herself in the Vampire Kingdom doing just that, when a couple of boys looking for a bit of fun spotted her. The boys did not find to her a be an attractive young lady, but instead a wild animal to mess with. One flung a stick at her and she screamed, but they were on her before she could run.

Bubblegum woke up in a cage with a chain around her neck. Her cloth was ripped but still covered her, and she still had her necklace. She tried to stand but her feet hurt too badly. Her throat hurt, possibly from screaming. The boys must have knocked her out cold.

Bubblegum looked out the bars of her cage, there were other animals. She was in a pound, she wasn't a person, she was a cold, abused, pound puppy who hadn't had anything to eat.

She heard people talking down the hallway. There was a man, in what seemed to be the pound uniform, and a woman. The woman had curly black hair, moon-like skin, and large pointy fangs. Her dress suggested she was of nobility.

"And who may this sweetie be?" The women said as she approached Bubblegum's cage.

"That my lady was brought here last night. It was being hassled by some teenage boys and has been out cold until just now," said the man. The lady stuck her hand in the cage and petted Bubblegum's head. Bubblegum felt safe around this woman, she called her a sweetie, which is what people called ones they cared about.

"I want it, it'll make a good replacement for my wolf, who idiotically decided to sink it's teeth in electrical wiring,"

"I am sorry to hear that my lady, but as for the animal you may have it free of charge as you are Queen Marceline's closest confidant."

"The wolf was a lousy beast, I think she'll be much more fun," she said before turning to Bubblegum, "You're coming home to the castle with Master Kelia, and we're going to have the best of fun,"

Home? Did she say home? She's going to have a home, Bubblegum found this to be very exciting.

-Author's Note-So this is chapter one of what is going to be a five chapter story. I've already have the ending completely played out. Chapter 2 and maybe even 3 may be up tomorrow depending on the weather.


	2. part 2 of 5

When Bubblegum was cut loose from her fettering and set free of her cage, she wrapped her arms around Lady Kelia's skirt in appreciation.

Lady Kelia found the gesture odd at first, almost about to threaten her new pet to get off of her. However, like all beasts who have lost a good battle, the thing was weak and needed comfort. The beast was telling her that she was it's new master, maybe even thanking her for it. Kelia pulled another chain from her dress pocket, albeit a more stylish one that was made to be a lead. The noblewoman put the hoop of the chain around Bubblegum's neck.

"My sweets, you may withdraw your grasp of me and walk with me to the carriage," said Kelia, if kind soft words could not command the beast than she can use forceful words to command it. As she was the highest of the Vampire Nobility, using an exceeding amount of force in her words was not only something she didn't have a problem with, it was something she was used to. The servants at the castle would often be screamed at to get her some medicine for her sore throat.

Bubblegum did as she was told, her feet were in pain, so she tried to crawl in the most attractive way possible. Which was hard, as her cloth was becoming undone. Kelia tried fixing it, which helped a little but not much.

"I'll have Lucille sew you a cute outfit when we get to the castle, but as for now -walk to the carriage!" Said Kelia a bit more forceful on that last part. Bubblegum continued to crawl in her unattractive fashion, until they got to the carriage. Getting in it with hurt feet was more difficult than it would seem. The carriage driver offered to carry her into the carriage.

"If you must," she said.

The seats of the carriage were softer than anything Bubblegum had felt beforehand. They were a nice red color, much like her master's dress, only darker, as she discovered when the good lady sat down. Lady Kelia's hair was not nearly as poofy as Bubblegum thought, her curls were all pinned to the top of her head in what was almost a beehive, a couple of curls hung around her face. The noblewoman looked at her with curiosity, her hands drifted to the gem around her pet's neck.

"Now how did a beast like you get ahold of such a pretty jewel? Do you have an old master?" She said, without giving here a second to answer the lady continued "Well you can forget about him, you're my sweetie now. I would never clothe you in rags, crop your hair, or let you be hassled by scum. A good noblewoman has to keep her beasts presentable,".

Bubblegum nodded, which satisfied Lady Kelia.

"When we get to the castle I'll take you to Lucille, she'll pretty you up. See what wonders she did to me this morning? Don't think for a second that I'm wearing foundation, this youthful glow is all natural, I could walk out the castle nude and be prettier than all the peasants in the kingdom, but only the deadest of trees go a winter without ornaments, and of course the prettiest get the best of them,"

Bubblegum had learned through listening to the women in villages and towns that they are always trying to be prettier and prettier. Lady Kelia was definitely the prettiest girl she had ever seen, maybe it was all the hair spray and gems, but Kelia was the prettiest lady she had ever seen.

The carriage came a stop in front of what looked like a huge Medieval church. The windows were all stained glass and depicted scenes of the kingdoms history and traditions, some more gorey than others. This wasn't a place of worship, it was the castle.

The Carriage door opened and Lady Kelia was escorted out of it, Bubblegum was carried out by the driver. Bubblegum crawled through the castle doors along with Kelia, she was amazed by the architecture of the palace. As they went up the stairs she saw the paintings of Marceline the Vampire Queen, who was as beautiful as Kelia, and was just as likely to use force as Kelia as well. Though while Kelia would harshly scream at people, Marceline would often threaten a miserable death to those who acted out of line, and as many a painting depicted, she often went through with her threats.

Lady Kelia's quarters had golden yellow curtains hung along the walls, they were tied back with gold ties, revealing paintings where windows would normally be. The entire room was a circle. At one side was a huge four poster bed with the same yellow and gold curtains. And opposite that was a fire place. The mantle had several small photographs of when the noblewoman was just a child, before her parents called for the doctor to bite her neck (The doctor often teased that she had screamed the loudest of all his patients).

Hung above the mantle was a magnificent painting of Lady Kelia. Her hair was curled and pinned up similar to how it was now. She was wearing a black corset with a lavender dress that shined like silk, it flowed down her legs and fanned out at her feet, which were bare except for a ring or two on her toes. The noblewoman was sitting on a large rock with the blood of a dead squirrel running down the side, she had a lute in her lab and blood on the fingers of one of her hands and was looking up towards the moon, showing the scars on the left side of her neck. Bubblegum was mesmerized by the painting.

"You like the new painting huh? Not nearly as gnarly as the similar one of Mar but she is the Queen I suppose. I can call her Mar, because I'm Lady Kelia, but you are not, so if you start talking you better call her your queen!" Said Kelia before shouting, "Lucille! I've found myself a new beast to play with! Come out here and pretty it up for me!"

"Yes, my good Lady Kelia," said the servant. Lucille had been bitten much too early, most peasants are usually bitten at twenty five, Royals and Nobles are bitten somewhere between seventeen and twenty one, Lucille's parents called for the doctor (not the one that treats the Royals and Nobles, he would have never allowed it) when she was twelve. She was about 30 now but forever a twelve year old.

Lucille filled the large water basin with water from the tub, struggled to carry it out, and set it next to the tub. She made sure there was plenty of bubbles in it before she went back to the Kelia's bedroom to get the beast.

"Water is ready, my good Lady Kelia,"

"Oh, you are much better a servant than Natalie was," said Kelia as she handed Lucille the lead. Natalie was a servant who had the same job as Lucille, to help Kelia do her hair, tie her corsets, do her makeup, and take care of her beasts, among other things. Natalie, however, after a few months on the job began to slack and gossip about the noblewoman. This had gotten progressively worse until after a year of service her tongue was cut out and she was fired.

"It is an honor to know you appreciate my services my good Lady Kelia," she said, "Pardon me if you find my asking inappropriate, but what is wrong with it's feet? They are black and blue and one seems to be bleeding."

"It had a rough night last night, after I show it to the Queen I shall promptly show it to the vet. But I can not show it to the Queen until it is clean, so I suggest that is what you do,"

"Should I dress it one of my uniforms until I sew it something better my good lady Kelia?"

"That would be nice,"

"I have no other questions my good Lady Kelia, I shall do as asked,"

Lucille took Bubblegum to the bathroom. She tried to unhook her necklace, much to her protest, Bubblegum made a loud raspy noise that was supposed to be "no".

"I am unhooking it so I can bathe you, you'll get it back when I'm done,". Bubblegum nodded as to say she understood and let the girl unhook her necklace. Lucille tried to help her into the basin but dropped her creating a bit of a splash. Bubblegum's teeth chattered, it had been a long while since she felt this cold. Lucille pulled the now wet rag that was covering Bubblegum out of the basin.

"You won't need that anymore, I'll get you a real dress,". Bubblegum smiled when she said that. Women people wore dresses and not a lot of animals did.

After Lucille was done scrubbing all the dirt off of Bubblegum's hair and body she got her a dress from under her bed across the hall. Lucille helped her into the dress and handed Bubblegum her necklace back.

"This may be silly of me, but do you understand what I am saying?" Said Lucille, her blonde hair was tied in low pigtail buns. Bubblegum smiled and nodded.

"Are your feet in so much pain that you can not walk on them? It must be awful to have to crawl on your hands and knees,". Bubblegum nodded without a smile as the two entered Lady Kelia's room.

"Can you talk?". Bubblegum nodded.

"Then why do you not speak to me?". Bubblegum pointed to her neck.

"Sore throat?". Bubblegum nodded. In response Lucille pulled out a vile from her shirt pocket.

"I give this to Lady Kelia in her cup of blood when she has a sore throat, don't tell her that I gave it to you," she said, uncorking it and pouring a few drops in Bubblegum's mouth. "You're supposed to lay on the big pillow next to the bed, I cleaned up the wolf hair I promise,"

"Thank you," said Bubblegum, the medicine seemed to work instantly.

"I have to go sew your dress, I believe it would be best if you stayed on the pillow, it's quite comfortable," she said, "I'll see you soon,". Then she left.

Bubblegum crawled on to the pillow, it was even softer than the carriage seats. She contemplated how much her life has changed. She was cleaned, clothed, sheltered -in a castle, and Master Kelia said she was going to have fun with her. Friends had fun with each other, and friends were people things.

Down in the throne room, the Queen, the Duke, and Lords Guy and Bongo were testing the gumballs that Marshall Lee (the Duke) had bought on a "business" trip.

"This crap is rubbish," said the Queen. Her remark was met with groans from the men.

"Come on Marceline, it's fun!"

"I just made a huge bubble!"

"You just haven't been chewing long enough, the poison in our spit will turn it to disgusting paste," said the Queen "You guys have to stop being idiots,"

"I'm not an idiot!"

"If you're not an idiot then apparently I was mistaken when I found out what you were doing at last weeks party,"

"That was so funny!" Said Marshall Lee. Marceline gave him a dirty look. "If you were a peasant, but as a lord that behavior is unacceptable Bongo, we're the Vampire Royals, you should know how we do things,"

"Are we talking about last weeks party?" Said Kelia as she waltzed in, "Bongo was such a idiot, I didn't even get to throw anything at that guy who murdered the owner of the creampuff joint,"

"Me too, way to ruin a our chance to avenge a good creampuff business Bongo," said Marshall Lee.

"So K what's up?" Said the Queen ignoring the fight that broke out among the boys.

"Got myself a new beast to mess with,"

"Go on,"

"I got Lucille to clean it before I showed it to you, she should be done now,"

Marceline sat up from her throne and told the boys not to ruin anything, Marshall Lee's response was a plea for someone to get the bubblegum out of his hair. The girls walked to the noblewoman's bedroom, and found Lucille at the stairs.

"Good day your majesties," she said with a curtsy "I made sure the beast was laying on the floor pillow when I left, my good Lady Kelia. And may you be in good health my Queen,". Lucille continued down the stairs.

Lady Kelia was the one to open the door. The Queen could not help but smile upon seeing the beast.

"I see you've got yourself a pretty one. Too bad she's got bad feet and an awful hair cut, you should wait a while before presenting it to the public,"

Bubblegum sat up at the sight of the Queen.

"My Queen you are pretty," she said. "Forgive my simple speaking?"

"It can talk," Said the Queen looking back at the noblewoman, "Does a beast like you have a name?"

"I am Bubblegum," said Bubblegum.

"Bubblegum? Even a beast deserves a better name than that of a chewing paste. From now on how about we call you…Bonnibel,"

-Author's Note- 2250 words! May the longest fanfic chapter I've ever typed. Thank you for all the follows and favorites and reviews!


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